Aerosols, in commercial use since the 1950s, are commonly used to deliver therapeutic agents. Certain aerosols depend upon the power of a liquefied or compressed gas to dispense one or more medicaments from a closed system upon actuation of a valve. For example, current treatment for asthmatic patients includes medications delivered by metered dose aerosols.
Although aerosols provide a useful approach to dispensing medicaments, their effectiveness can be limited by the amount of surface area that is contacted by the medicament(s). Likewise, the effectiveness of medicaments in general, is limited by patient compliance. For example, administration of medicaments is oftentimes difficult to achieve in uncooperative or combative patients (such as in children or patients with an altered mental state) as well as those with difficulty swallowing. Thus, there is a need for improved pharmaceutical compositions that provide increased efficacy and/or foster greater patient compliance.